WELCOME TO FINE ARTS

Thank you for visiting the Northside Independent School District Department of Fine Arts. We are excited to share with you the diverse opportunities that await our students in the visual and performing arts. In 2013-14, NISD has 411 certified instructors providing meaningful instruction to over 77,000 students enrolled in NISD fine arts courses.

The NISD fine arts list of available courses is considered a full comprehensive curriculum for students. District curriculum opportunities include student participation in visual arts, band, choir, dance, mariachi, orchestra, and theater. While these courses involve the majority of students, enrichment courses include music theater production, music theory, music history, vocal and jazz ensemble, and a variety of medium- specific courses in visual arts. Advanced Placement is available in Art History and Music Theory. Northside is one of only very few districts of substantial size that has established an elementary art and music curriculum to be taught only by certified art and music instructors K-5 on 100% of the district elementary campuses.

Our campus performances and galleries reflect the excellence in teaching, the quality of student mastery, and the rigor required for success. The Fine Arts Department is committed to providing our students and teachers cutting edge environments in which to differentiate instruction and to participate in venues that serve to enhance learning. Public performance and gallery initiatives allow our students to grow personally and serve to connect outstanding campus fine art programs to a great city, state, and nation. World-renown artists, conductors, clinicians, and consultants constantly make meaningful connections to our students in the classroom. Northside performing ensembles and student art work continue to be recognized at the state and national level.

Most importantly, we desire that our students have a golden opportunity to create and to imagine what can be… Regardless of the student’s interest level to be at an appreciation level, an understanding level, or a mastery level of learning, we teach our students to use the skills that are unique to fine arts to facilitate and to elevate their role as quality citizens, great leaders, incredible problem-solvers, professional artists, and yes, … as lifelong consumers of the arts.

NISD Special Olympians were escorted into Gus Stadium during the week of March 23-26 for annual competition with the assistance of drumlines and brass bands from NISD high schools. Leading the way were the drumlines from Tom C. Clark HS and the brass band/percussion section from Earl Warren HS.

Folks MS band students ventured into the world of music composition, using FINALE software to generate final products consisting of a professional sheet of music and a CD recording of their compositions. Five band students received honorable mention for their music compositions in the annual district PTA REFLECTIONS CONTEST.